Pushing rear attachments, specifically a landscape rake?

icehorse

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L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
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From what I've observed and seen in online videos, it's common practice to push some rear attachments like box blades and brush hogs. So far so good?

How about pushing a landscape rake, any concerns?

Any general guidelines when pushing rear attachments? Any things to watch out for?
 

animals45

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L3301l
Apr 22, 2021
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Mabie CA
I think pushing a landscape rake is a great way to start breaking tines off .
animals45
 
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Edke6bnl

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B7800 Kubota, case 1840 Skidsteer Ford 3500
Mar 31, 2022
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I think pushing a landscape rake is a great way to start breaking tines off .
animals45
I watched a video of EA attachments with there lanscape rake and that thing is built tuff but he mention it is not advisable to use to push unless it is rotated 180 degrees then push all you want.
 

icehorse

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L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
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I think pushing a landscape rake is a great way to start breaking tines off .
animals45
All I have to go on is a crude understanding of materials science and a decent understanding of mechanical physics. But I have no experience, which is why I asked.

Your answer kind of surprises me, can you say more about why you think the tines would be more vulnerable being pushed? thanks!
 

icehorse

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L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
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I watched a video of EA attachments with there lanscape rake and that thing is built tuff but he mention it is not advisable to use to push unless it is rotated 180 degrees then push all you want.
Hmm, I'll have to see if my rake can spin 180 degrees...
 

BigG

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l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
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I see no problem in pushing with a landscape rake. I’m not sure how this rate in the OP question. if he is talking about simply going in reverse with the tractor and the teeth pointing towards the rear tires are there should be no problem backing up. If you’re talking about reversing the rake with the teeth pointed away from the tires I don’t believe there would be any more pressure on the teeth when it is being pulled forward with the teeth pointing towards the tires.
 
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Steve67

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B2601-fel, 60"mmm, 5' rear blade, balast box
Jan 20, 2017
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I have a pine needle rake that I’ve used pushing backwards, doesn’t seem to have done any damage to the tines. I only do that occasionally and since the landscape rake tines are more beefier I think you should be ok
 

MtnViewRanch

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I pull my rake with the tines reversed. Makes for a good finished surface without collecting much of anything. I don't see that running in reverse with the tines curved away from the direction you are moving would make much of a difference. :unsure:
 

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nbryan

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B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
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I fully load my box scraper while backing it into material piles and ground surfaces to "bulldoze" the material as needed. By fully load, I mean I'm working the tractor hard at around 2000rpm in low range and punching the hst pedal until the tractor stalls motion, loses traction, or moves the material.
But that's what boxblades are built for. Just saying because pushing hard on the 3-point in reverse isn't the issue to worry about. I wouldn't suggest hammering it against stubborn rocks under full power repeatedly to try and use (abuse) the tractor that way. But for scraping/pushing level surfaces and material piles doesn't bother my tractor at all.
 

hodge

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Don't ignore the lift arms. Pushing barkwards may not hurt the implement, but the arms are designed for pulling, not pushing. I've had more than one BX owner complain that their stabilizers wouldn't attach, and send me a photo. The lift arms were so bent, the two holes weren't able to be connected by a straight line.
103493773_2115239118606460_3297363650716611798_n.jpg
 
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animals45

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L3301l
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Using the rake in the standard position for use , which to me means that your pulling it with the bottom of the tined facing the direction that your driving/pulling . My remark was based on my understanding that the OP would stop the tractor then put in in reverse with the rake still engaged with the ground with the tines in the same direction & therefore pushing the rake . ON my rake a pretty old York the tines are shaped in a C & I believe their cast iron . They are made with a spring built into the tines , my thought is if you keep pushing the tines in the direction of the bottom of the C shape they will break . If you were to turn the rake 180 degrees & go in reverse I think your fine , but looking at the way my rake is built I'm thinking bad things would happen . I don't know as I've never used my rake in reverse & it will be a while till I have it modified to work on my cat 1 hitch . I believe mine was originally a cat 0 . But I could be very wrong in my thinking .
animals45
 

woodman55

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L6060HSTC, RTV 1100
May 15, 2022
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I have a fairly new landpride, landscape rake. When I push the rake it tends to hop/chatter a lot and does not do as good of a job. If I spin it 180" then it works fine.
 
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nbryan

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B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
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Don't ignore the lift arms. Pushing barkwards may not hurt the implement, but the arms are designed for pulling, not pushing. I've had more than one BX owner complain that their stabilizers wouldn't attach, and send me a photo. The lift arms were so bent, the two holes weren't able to be connected by a straight line.
View attachment 87292
My B2650 3-point system with solid adjustable anti-sway bars is built a lot heavier than that BX.
 

JimmyJazz

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From what I've observed and seen in online videos, it's common practice to push some rear attachments like box blades and brush hogs. So far so good?

How about pushing a landscape rake, any concerns?

Any general guidelines when pushing rear attachments? Any things to watch out for?
I learned this week that attachments go on the front of a tractor and implements on the back. I understand your question but don't have an answer.
 
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hodge

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My B2650 3-point system with solid adjustable anti-sway bars is built a lot heavier than that BX.
I build a lot of replacement telescoping stabilizers for the Kubota B series tractors. They are not that substantial. The flat plate is narrow and thin, and bends pretty easily under compression.
The dimensions of your lift arms are the same as on a BX- same width and height (2 1/2"). You have to get into the MX series before getting bigger lift arms (3"). The only difference are the bends in the arms, and possibly the length. The base shaft is the same- 7/8" diameter. Additionally, both the BX series and the B series use 3/8" clevis pins to attach the stabilizers. So, the only strength difference between the BX series and your B2650 is possibly the bends in the lift arms.

The 3 point hitch is designed for pulling. In many cases, pushing is fine, but that is consequential. It was not designed to push, so damage is possible. I would summize that the majority of 3 point hitch damage comes from pushing, not pulling.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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1st 3pt implement that I KNOW was designed to be pushed is the snowblower. However it is designed to remove material ABOVE the ground, not below.
Using anything else.. blade,rakes, etc. is 'challenging' ,especially in hard ground, and you need a 'light' hand on the controls.
 

nbryan

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B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
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Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
The 3 point hitch is designed for pulling. In many cases, pushing is fine, but that is consequential. It was not designed to push, so damage is possible. I would summize that the majority of 3 point hitch damage comes from pushing, not pulling.
Well, the stabilizers on my B2650 are guaranteed stronger by far than the turnbuckles on that BX, and actually DO handle quite a lot of compression stress that stops the kind of sideways twisting that the OP photo shows. It's also not something I use it for very often, but that reverse scraper blade on my boxblade has some very helpful uses for me. So not afraid to use it.

But I agree, the 3-point will handle WAY more stress and loads when pulling that boxblade vs pushing. I've caught frozen stumps while dragging the BB along at a walking pace and it stopped the tractor instantly. BANG. The seat belt grabbed my hips hard. I doubt those lower arms and stabilizers could handle that kind of sudden compression without something giving, but pulling the BB the whole system took the shock without issue.
 

icehorse

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L3901, FEL, box blade, tedder rake, mini round baler, rotary cutter
Aug 10, 2022
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Thanks for all the replies, I've learned some good stuff. I have to confess I was focused on the implement and not the tractor. I was surprised to see the picture of the bent lift arms! It would seem that if you have a QH in the mix that would help strengthen the whole 3-point system? (As an aside, I've been using the Pat's QH and it feels a bit iffy to me. I think if I added a strong bar to sort of lock in the distance between the lift arms, I'd feel better about it.)

Returning to another point in the OP - how about pushing a rotary cutter? I think 90-95% of the time I'll be pulling it, but there are those corners and other tight spaces that I'd really like to be able to back into. The message I'm taking away from this thread is to be careful and go slowly when pushing?